Cover for hatches, waggons and the like



NNN umm www 8mm C. LECOMTE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 18, 1956 COVER FOR HATCHES, WAGGONS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 4, 1955 llrrfllar Dec. 18, 1956 c. LECOMTE 2,774,420

COVER FOR HATCHES, WAGGONS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O COVER FOR HATCHES, WAGGONS AND THE LIKE Claude Lecomte, Fontenay aux Roses, l'rance, assignor to International MacGregor rganlzatlon (I. M. G. 0.), Casablanca, Morocco, a body corporate of Morocco Application January 4, 1955, serial No. 479,757 v Claims priority, application France January 22, 1954 4 Claims. (Cl. 16B-193) The present invention relates to hatch-covers and more particularly to a cover arrangement for ships, hatches,

Waggons and the like, or other purposes, which comprises a plurality of separate hatch-covers independent of the hatchway coaming edges fand adapted to constitute an unbroken sheet closing the hatchway yand to roll along the hatchway coaming during the hatchway closing and opening operations.

Hatchway-'covers of this type are already known wherein the component elements are independent of each other and are operated separately. The purpose of this separate operation of the hatch-covers is to bring them by turn to a vertical position in a so-called stowage space provided accordingly at one end of the hatc'hway.

In other installations of same character the hatchcovers are interconnected through chains so that the complete assembly may be moved by operating a single control rope in both hold-closing and hold-opening directions. ln this case, the hatch-covers fall ercely from their vertical positions onto the runway.

In other known arrangements unbroken sheets of hingedly interconnected panels are used. A

Now the arrangement forming the subject-matter of the present invention is characterised notably in that the separate and adjacent sections or elements constituting the hatch-'cover are interconnected through pivot links, rods or levers adapted to transmit both tractive forces and end thrusts.

According to another Vfeature of the invention, the points of pivotal -attachment of a link, if considered in connection with a pair of adjacent hatch-"cover element-s, are positioned the one at the rear portion -of the element remotest from the stowage space, and the other at an intermediate position-in the longitudinal directionof the next element of the pair.

The arrangement according to the present invention offers the positive ladvantages of aording an unbroken movement of the interconnected hatch-cover elements, employing very simple actuating means, reducing the overall dimensions to a minimum, and, above all, requiring a stowage space of particularly small dimensions. ln fact, the length of each -hatch-cover section or element is no more a function of the vertical dimension of the coaming, `as generally observed in some known arrangements.

On the other hand, the system according to this invention enables the hatch-cover to be operated at a much faster rate than any other known systems, particularly those incorporating independent elements.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear as the'following description of a few forms of embodiment of the invention, givenby way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l shows diagrammatically in elevational view a ships hatchway equipped with the hatch-cover arrangements of the present invention, the elements -being shown in their closed conditions;

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Figure 2 is a similar view showing the arrangement during the opening thereof;

Figure 3 is another View similar to Figs. l and 2 showing the hatch-cover in its open condition;

Figure 4 illustrates at a greater scale the method of mounting the links on the hatch-cover sections;

Figure 5 is a modied embodiment of the hatch-cover arrangement shown in its closed condition, and

Figure 6 is a similar'view showing the same modified arrangement in its open condition. v

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. -l-and 3 of the accompanying drawing it is assumed that the hatch-cover system is adapted to close a hatchway shown diagram matically in the form of a` coaming 1. The coaming 1 is provided with a pair of lateral longitudinal runways 2 and a pair of lateral storage or stowage ramps 3. Each ramp 3 is positioned just above or below a space 4 provided for stowing or storing the plurality of hatch-cover sections when they are positioned vertically i. e. in the'open condition of the hatchway, as will be explained hereafter.

The hatch-cover arrangement comprises a plurality of sections, elements or panels Sa, 5b, 5c, etc. provided with supporting rollers 6a, 6b, 6c, etc. rolling on the runways 2. All these hatch-cover sections, except the rst or leading one 5a which is the farthermost from the stowage space 4, lare provided at one end, for example at 7b, 7c, etc. with a pair of rollers adapted to'be engaged by an operating rope 8. The free end of this rope is secured at 9 to the remotest or leading end of the rst section 5a. Moreover, all these sections are provided with so-called tripping rollers 10 positioned at the rear ends thereof.

Each pair of adjacent sections are provided on each lateral side wit-h an interconnecting link 11. Each link has its front end pivoted on the rear end of the leading section of the pair, i. e. Ithe section which is'remotest from the stowage space 4 in the pair considered, for example in close vicinity of, or coincident with, the relevant tipping roller 10, whilst the rear end of the link is pivoted on the other section of the p'a'ii' at a point -12 substantially intermediate the vsection length, as shown.

The'operating rope 8 passesover -a sheave`13 and thence t-o a derricking or like mast (not shown).- Ast-ationary stop mem-ber 14 may also be providedA to prevent the various sections of the hatch-cover from moving when stowed vertically. t A

Finally, locking means such as -hook members 15 (Fig. 3) may be provided for anchoring the first or leading section 5a to the preceding section 5b.. The operation of the hatch-'cover `arrangement de-Y scribed hereinabove is extremely simple. Assuming frlrstly that the sections are' in their closed positions (Fig. l) it will be readily understood that when the operating rope 8 is pulled in the direction of the arrow F1 the hatch-cover assembly will move bodily along their runways 2 in the direction of the arrow F2. This movement will cause the rearmost section, in the example shown the section 5d, to rise up the ramp 3 and, due to the pull exerted by the rope in the direction F1 and through the engagement of the tipping -roller 10d with this ramp 3, the section 5d will be rtilted in the direction of the arrow Fa and finally the pivot axis of the link .11e and rolls up the stowa'ge ramp 3 while the next link11b of the train of elements exerts athrust in the direction of the arrow F4; it is evident that this movement is assisted by the pull exerted Patented Dec. 18, 1956- 'oy the operating rope 8 on the pair of rollers 7b provided on the section b. Finally, the last'section 5a (in the Y direction of'stowage) is also tippedV to the vertical, as

section on the one hand a section 5 (which maybe any section'of the assembly) providedrrwith a pin 19 hav-ing jvournalledrthereon a linkY 11, Vand on the other hand :the stowageramp 3 provided with ay complementary retraining f Vmembert16 to prevent the tipping rollerlt disposed ,in a f 1f plane at'right angles't'othese'ctiori 5 and coincident, in

this speciccase, with lthe'pivotalattachment of the linkV Y 1'1, from moving out of engagement withpthe Vramp 3'.v

Thefnro'diied ,embodiment'tdepicted-in.FigsfS and 6 diHers-frmrV that descrihedhereinabove only-throughtthe loperating means employed. 1.11/ the vpreceding example a ,rope actuated from the, usualderrickingg Qr1like mast of the ship Vwas used; Whilst in the case n ow considered the Yhatch-cover assembly is operated through an endless rope 17 guided by means of sheaves 18,719 and V20 and wound d on the drum of a winch 21 actuated .from any suitable source of energy, vfor example electric power, To facili-V tate the operation kof this assembly each section is pro-V vided withk additional tipping krollers 22a, 2lb, 22e and engage the runway 2 oi `the hatCchWay coaming l'and .anchored to the operating rope 17, as shown. Y ,Y t Y The operation of this .modified arrangementis obvious.Y

When the ropej17 is actuatedin the direction of the arrow ,Fs the` various sections are tilted one by Y- one to,Y their vertical positions,,as'showninlFig 6; YTc ,close'the'hatch- Y coverY assembly, the operating -iope 17 is rrioved in theY l opposite direction: as .indicated by the Yarrow F7, and the Y first lor leadingV link'r23 will drive the assembly to theV -i closing position shcwn in Fig'SY y t VOf course, many ,modii'oations :rnay Vbe brought-to the forms of embodiment shown-and described herein, ras Vthese should notbe lconstrued as limitinggtfhe scope Vof the e f inventioncbut are/given V`fortthe rpurposeofk illustration only. Y "1 i.. Y z5 y' i f Whatl claim is:

1. vInlships -h tches; railway Waggons and vthe like comkprising` an opening with longitudinally {Cixtefnding 'lateral' g parallel Aguideways flanking the vvopening,formed by plane Y 'Surfaces and` gcmtwtirusia straight @peni-rolling Vprhia f cover 'arrangement comprising a pluralitylof,y separate Y cover: sections adapted to ride 011 Said guidewaysand to spread over said opening `while f orrningjan unbroken sheet Y Y over said latter, yrolling means mounted on vthe edges of i v l the 'control ropermeans is sitnated along the 'lateral'gsides said. sectinns in rolling engagement with. Said. sideways said rolling means resting on said guideways by the virtue of the weight of the corresponding section and freely rollingthereon to close yand lopen said opening, a stowage space at one end of'said rOpening with lateral longitudinal runways for locating said sections in the folded condition when the hatch lis open, said sections resting in said stowr age space in a vertical position and substantially on an t edge, rigid link meansfor pivotally interconnecting any two separate and adjacent sections and transmitting op-Y erating thrusts andtractions, pivot means Cnlctingeach of said link means at oneof its ends tothe rear endY portion of v,the section of ,said pair Ywhichtis Vreniotest Vfrornthe f stowage space, yjandratV a substantiallyintermediate portion Y Vof the othersection of the pair, said sections resting in l saidY sto'wagev space` on; theY said runways jby means of said c pivot means which belong tothe Vrear portion of the'relesuring thQCODtrOl oftallsaid Section5 L 2,. 'A cover arrangement according to claimflwherein of said opening',Y tipping means on eacht'section situated between said roller means'andramp means between theV Vend of said `gnidewaysfand said stowage space for positive cooperation with said tipping meansrfor ensuring the b f VginningV of Vthelittin'g motionof eachrsection.

'3 .V A cover arrangement according to claimd, wherein t the control ropeV means extend over-thesaid opening,- gnidV f i ing rollers for said rope on said sections'except Voriftt-li'e i remotest from'the said stovvage space, saidrollersbeing y situated at the end of s aid section VYwhich is VVthe remotest ,Y from the stowage space,V anda `further fixed vrolleii'overV Q Y said stowage space Afor guidingnsaid ropefwhich latter f exerts a certain'yertical thrust oneach QfvsaidV sections when opening thehatch.v l A v Y Y, 4. A cover `arrangement according toclairnV 2,V cornprising a complementary linkv means having one end Y pivoted on theintermediate portion of the section remotest Y' from theY stowage space and the other end provided with ,y rollers engagingjcthe saidglongitudinaledges of therhtitchVV *Y and being anchored tok saidendless ropefrnea'ns.A Y

UNITED sTATEsIATENfrSii v 11615.57,v 21905 i 

